Police haunted by Madeleine case

Saturday marks the first anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance from an apartment in the Algarve. A year on the consequences are still being felt in Portugal.

The Madeleine McCann saga has had a big impact in Portugal, on tourism locally, and in particular on the Polícia Judiciária (PJ), the criminal investigation force that is still handling this case.

Officials at the PJ and the Ministry of Justice, which oversees the force, were this week adamant Saturday would be marked by no special event or indeed any comment on the investigation, which is covered by judicial secrecy until mid-May, with a possible extension to August.

But the PJ’s national director, Alípio Ribeiro, felt obliged to react to figures that emerged this week on his force’s performance, and which some observers saw as pointing to a lack of resources and strategy, or even a crisis in confidence.

They showed sharp drops in the number of detentions by PJ inspectors and in charges resulting from their investigations in the past year.

While nationwide, the number of detentions dropped by 50%, in the Faro region where the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance is being handled, the drop was 37%, while the number of investigations that led to charges fell 58%.

Brain drain

That is likely to reinforce a widespread public perception here that police time and resources were disproportionately allocated to one high-profile case.

In Oporto, where police are investigating a string of nightlife murders, the number of detentions fell by 60% and investigations leading to charges by 10%.

Mr Ribeiro – who made headlines in February when he said detectives had been “hasty” in declaring Kate and Gerry McCann official suspects five months earlier – played down the figures.

In comments to the Lusa news agency, he said the number of detentions was no indicator of effectiveness, given a changing legal framework.

But Carlos Anjos, president of detectives’ union ASFIC, said there had been a brain drain and sagging morale in the two years since Mr Ribeiro came in.

He told TSF radio: “It’s logical that operational capacity has diminished. We’ve lost more than 20% of personnel, that can only give the result we’re now seeing.”

Justice Minister Alberto Costa is expected to face questions on the issue in a parliamentary debate next Wednesday on the security forces.

‘Clarify the truth’

Meanwhile, the former coordinator of the PJ’s criminal investigation department in Portimão, who oversaw the Madeleine McCann case until he was removed from his post by Mr Ribeiro in October after reportedly criticising his British counterparts, is preparing to sue unnamed British media outlets.

Though as department head he had no hands-on involvement in the case, he bore the brunt of British media criticism of the PJ – criticism that António Paulo Santos, the Lisbon lawyer retained to prepare the libel action, says Mr Amaral feels tipped over into personal insults.

Having put in for retirement, the former PJ coordinator also plans to publish a book about his work, to be entitled “Verdade da Mentira” – “The Truth about the Lie”.

“It wouldn’t be written if he hadn’t been the victim of personal insults – even his children suffered at school,” said his lawyer. “It’s not for financial gain.”

The book would not, he added, violate judicial secrecy or aim to incriminate anyone, but to tell Mr Amaral’s side of things and lay out the evidence so readers can draw their own conclusions.

“Its one mission is to clarify the truth,” Mr Santos said.

No date has been set for publication but it would be after Mr. Amaral’s retirement, which is set to take some months.

Several books about the case have been published in Portugal, but this would be the first by anyone involved and is likely to find a ready market.

Resentment in Portugal of the critical tone of British media coverage, as expressed in letter, emails and phone calls to newspapers and broadcasters, and on internet forums, is widespread and often fierce.

One Response to “Police haunted by Madeleine case”

my first and only comment on this. She accidently fell while looking out the window. Kate and Gerry watched with horror as she fell forward, hitting her head several times. They ran – Kate picked her up and Gerry made way for Kate to carry her in. Of course they moved her from place to place to revive her. Eventually they knew she was dead. They knew NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE THEM. So she taken from the coach and stuck into Gerrys bag. Where in a state – they had to leave her.Thus…kates clothes and not Gerrys. They were first to arrive at the tapas. Gerry took his turns but had to remind Kate twice, Once the friend went, and being known for other things they knew! he would not have entered. Giving Gerry the change to start the staging – How nice.! The talk to the friend…the sighting? The talk yes. the tanner sighting was later ruled out. Now the sighting of a man carrying a child later…NOW NOW NOW …WHY WOULD DEAR GERRY DO THAT. They had her stuffed in the BAG remember. Now they way they threw themselves in a moslem pose. THAT WAS WITH THEIR A##$ UP IN THE AIR DRAWING ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE CUPBARD. AND that is one of the spots Keela and Eddie pointed out…Pooooooooor madleine dead in a bag. WHAT I DONT KNOW IS HOW THEY GOT RID OF THE BAG!!!!
wHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THOSE TWO CAME BACK. LITTLE MADELEINE WAS DECOMPOSED LITERALLY “ROTTING” AND THEY WERE USED TO THAT. GOOOOOOOD LORD PLEASE – BODILY FLUIDS AND HAIR WAS FOUND IN THE CAR, PLEASE EVERYONE GET ANOTHER PICTURE. SEE THAT LITTLE FACE ROTTEN AWAY – TEETH THAT USE TO SMILE – PORTRUDING AND OPEN. MAGGOTS AND ROTTEN FLUIDS – THAT IS WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MOVE. That must have taken guts. To have the remains of your child in your arms AND CARRY ON FURTHER. THAT IS INHUMANE.NO THIS IS MY STORY. AND THIS IS WHAT I WILL STICK WITH